Brief: The Waitrose & Partners’ café across UK stores had been chosen to play a central role in the John Lewis Partnership’s new approach to its retail experience. The café had to become something more than just a supermarket dining hall. JLP wanted it to be a destination restaurant, its own brand, to attract a new demographic of customers where the community could eat and drink quality produce, but also sit and chat, meet new people, learn new things. 

Approach: It was this idea of duality, of eating and drinking, meeting new people and taking part in activities that led me to the ampersand as a key device. We also chose to root the new rebrand in the history of the company and named it after its founders Wallace Waite and Arthur Rose linked by the ampersand. Throughout the cafe, this flows through the language and wayfinding system eg. Cups & Mugs, Beans & Brew. I also wanted to reflect the history of the place but within a modern setting by drawing on industrial chic and artisan bars as reference: natural wood materials, copper finishes, a cosy but cool place that someone would want to spend time in.